A Winning Smile

NEW YORK-BASED AESTHETIC DENTIST JONATHAN B. LEVINE might be considered the Steve Jobs of dentistry, having revolutionized his industry by putting oral-care technology into the hands of consumers.

At a recent appearance at Sephora to introduce his GLO Brilliant system, Levine fielded several questions from men eager to improve their smiles. He wasn’t surprised by the response to the techie system that promises to make teeth five shades lighter in three to five days, a result equal to professional whitening, he says.

“The No. 1 reason people go to an aesthetic dentist is to improve their smile, and whitening is the easiest way to make a person look 10 years younger,” said Levine, whose Fifth Avenue practice includes such high-profile clients as Dr. Mehmet Oz, Christie Brinkley and Mariska Hargitay.

GLO Brilliant grew out of his interest in allowing his patients to maintain the results of professional whitening after leaving his dental office. After devising a mouthpiece designed to hold in heat and lightening gels, he discovered results equal to professional whitening systems, without the downside of gum irritation caused by 18- to 36-percent hydrogen peroxide gels often used. In contrast, GLO Brilliant’s consumer-level gel uses a 6- to 8-percent hydrogen peroxide formula that, combined with heat and LED light, achieves professional results in less time with little or no sensitivity.

“The way it works is hydrogen peroxide breaks down to water and negative-charged oxygen that oxidizes stains and breaks them down. Light and heat accelerate the breakdown,” he adds.

The system comes with a charger, a sleek iPod-like power device that can be worn around the neck, and a mouthpiece. Users apply refrigerated GLO Brilliant whitening gel to their teeth and press a button to power up the mouthpiece to whiten in four consecutive eight-minute intervals-just 32 minutes a day-for up to five days. After the initial whitening, results can be maintained by applying up to four eight-minute applications per month, whether once a week or stretched over four days.

While some may be tempted to do more than the recommended amount of whitening, Levine said over-whitening can break down the tooth from within, turning it gray.

For those older than 40 and with deeply stained teeth, he recommends using the device for 10 days for the initial treatment. He said that with age it is more difficult to whiten teeth because of the depth of the enamel discoloration. But with diligence, whiter teeth is indeed attainable, he says. However, if teeth are gray or a person is into their 60s and 70s, more aggressive techniques or porcelains are required.

The cost of the device is $275, and if several people in a family want to whiten, additional mouthpieces can be purchased for $79 each.

Always innovating, Levine said whitening is not the only application for his device. Like the iPhone, it’s just a platform for a range of at-home oral health innovations to come.